$50M approved to rehabilitate roads, bridges in Central Rupununi

By Synieka Thorne

DPI, Guyana, Friday, May 24, 2019

The sum of $50M was approved on Thursday during the 115th Sitting of the National Assembly, to undertake urgent rehabilitation of roads and bridges along the Lethem-Hiawa-Nappi corridor in Central Rupununi, Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson told the National Assembly that the project would bring much-needed relief to the Indigenous residents in the Central Rupununi area and those traversing the Linden-Lethem roadway.

“There was a need… the people would have said this was urgently needed…our Indigenous brothers and sisters are dear to this administration,” Minister Patterson emphasised.

According to him, the government believes in the spirit of community cooperation, and therefore, timber for the bridge will be sourced from the communities, and residents will also be employed to work on the project.

“So, basically we will just be providing the capital cost to the communities in this area.”

This is part of the government’s commitment to ensure that 20 per cent of its procurement is done by community persons or small contractors.

In the 2019 National Budget, the government allocated more than $2Billion to execute significant infrastructural development in the hinterland.

In the Upper Takutu-Upper-Essequibo Region, in April this year, the approximately $80M Manari Bypass was commissioned. The asphalt paving of the Lethem Town road has also commenced.

Image: Marceano Narine